12th January  2008 - Hull Ionians 41 Sheffield Tigers 12 - Practise Match     pictures   more pictures

Hull Ionians and Sheffield Tigers can both take positive lessons from this match in which experience of competing at a high work rate for the full 80 minutes brought a perhaps flattering home score line. Tigers were in the game for the first 70 minutes and had held the score to 17-12 but after a penalty made it 20-12 the killing blows were struck with three more tries, making it 6 tries to two in total.

Hull Ionians made the perfect start with an injection of pace from Joe Donkin then moving it out to Gary Stephenson to race home to the corner to score. Sheffield Tigers now went on the attack but when they dropped their passes under pressure Joe Donkin kicked the loose ball on, chased and gathered and used his pace for an 80 metre try converted by James Ferguson. Tigers continued to compete at every level and gained just reward when Hull Ionians failed to support their own 22 drop out after a missed penalty and Tigers ran back and drove lock Richard Joel over for a try converted by Richard Butler. In first half stoppage time Karl Birch spotted a flat defence and chipped to the corner where Gary Stephenson won the race for the touch down and try.

Tigers made the perfect start after the break and recycled ball saw centre Simon Tyler run in a try followed by both teams attacking and defending well for a tight contest until the last 10 minutes. Deliberate offside in front of the posts gave James Ferguson an easy penalty for the psychologically important 8 point lead before the home team cut loose. Counter attacking from their own 22 James Ferguson chipped over the top then regathered for the pace of Joe Donkin to take it on and send Danny Ulliott in for his first try for the team. A penalty then brought an attacking line-out from which the pack drove Danny Hague over for the try, James Ferguson converting both, then when Tigers dropped the ball James Greene nipped in and broke clear for a 60 metre try adding the drop goal conversion himself to end the match.

For info; the Postponed National 3 North match played today saw Caldy beat Morley - see below: